A quick assist from Malibu’s Volunteers on Patrol on Monday night turned a scary scene on Pacific Coast Highway into a DUI arrest, after a silver BMW allegedly made an unsafe U‑turn near Trancas Canyon Road, hit a parked car, and nearly mowed down two pedestrians before stopping in a posted no‑parking zone. Deputies later reported finding multiple open alcohol containers and a nitrous oxide tank in the car and arrested the driver on suspicion of DUI.
VOP Team Flags BMW After Near Miss With Pedestrians
According to a post from the Lost Hills Station on Facebook, Malibu Volunteers on Patrol members spotted a silver BMW driving recklessly on PCH near Trancas Canyon Road and immediately radioed for deputies to check out the driver. Video shared by the station shows the BMW making an unsafe U‑turn that nearly struck two pedestrians, then clipping a parked vehicle on the shoulder before pulling into a clearly marked no‑parking area that created a traffic hazard.
The station’s post states that deputies who responded found multiple open alcohol containers and a nitrous oxide tank inside the vehicle. They arrested the driver on suspicion of DUI and transported them to the Malibu/Lost Hills station. A relative later retrieved the BMW, and the driver’s French bulldog was released to family members.
How Malibu’s Volunteers on Patrol Back Up Deputies
Volunteers on Patrol are trained, uniformed residents who serve as extra eyes and ears for the sheriff’s station, handling non‑hazardous tasks such as traffic control, vacation checks, and reporting hazards. The LASD civilian volunteer policy outlines their training and duties.
In Malibu, the VOP program has been funded in part by the city and folded into broader traffic and beach‑safety efforts, as reported by the Malibu Times. By handling routine calls and monitoring busy stretches of PCH, volunteers can free sworn deputies to focus on suspected crimes and conduct safer traffic stops when things escalate, like they did Monday night.
What a DUI Case Could Mean for the Driver
Deputies booked the driver on suspicion of driving under the influence. If prosecutors file DUI charges and the case ends in a conviction, California law allows penalties that can include fines, DUI education programs, probation, license suspension, and, in more serious or repeat cases, possible jail time. State agencies note that a DUI conviction also usually comes with heavy financial fallout, including court and program fees and sharply higher insurance premiums.
The California Highway Patrol outlines typical DUI penalties, while the state’s Drive Sober campaign highlights the broader public‑health risks tied to impaired driving.
Why Every Bad Move on PCH Hits Different
Pacific Coast Highway is a narrow, overworked stretch of pavement where one bad maneuver can instantly put drivers, walkers, and beachgoers in danger. Local officials have spent years pushing a mix of engineering and enforcement tools, including the PCH signal‑synchronization project aimed at calming speeds and improving safety along key segments of the road.
Those upgrades and targeted patrols are part of a longer campaign to cut down on crashes along the corridor, which agencies track as a high‑priority problem area. Coverage in the Malibu Times and city reports list signal coordination, focused enfor.cement, and other traffic measures among the steps intended to keep PCH less chaotic.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station at the non‑emergency number listed on the station’s page. If you see dangerous driving in progress, call 911. The station’s social media post also encouraged residents to consider signing up for Malibu’s Volunteers on Patrol program.
